This invention relates generally to magnitude comparators, and more particularly to magnitude comparators for determining which binary number, out of a plurality of binary numbers received bit-serially, in parallel, is the largest.
Magnitude comparators are well known. One example of a known magnitude comparator is the Texas Instruments model SN74L85. This comparator serves to compare two, four bit binary numbers, received in parallel; larger numbers can be compared by cascading these devices. However, no more than two numbers can be compared at a time. If it is desired to compare more than two numbers, the numbers must first be paired, the largest of each pair is then determined and this pairing procedure continued until finally a single number is determined to be the largest.